New school auditorium given green light

Gosfield school gets permission for new performing arts centre

A new performing arts centre which will be able to accommodate hundreds of people will be built at a school.

Braintree Council has given Gosfield School, off Halstead Road, planning permission to construct a new hall which will help to enhance the performing arts facilities on offer to students.

The new centre will also be home to a new auditorium, which will offer tiered seating and have capacity for up to 350 people.

Architects behind the plans for the hall have insisted it will have minimal impact on the school’s main building, which is Grade II listed and was the former home of George Courtauld II.

In its planning application, the school had argued it needed the new building as it had no appropriate facilities to stage major events or assemblies.

It was also suggested that performing arts lessons such as music were causing problems because the existing buildings are not sound proof and noise from instruments would interrupt other classrooms.

School principal Guy Martyn said: “Our wonderful and unique natural habitat is at the heart of our School, so we have embraced a thorough and creative process with the planners at Braintree Council to ensure that our performing arts centre sits sympathetically within its parkland setting. "This week our young performers have enjoyed an inspiring opportunity to perform in one of our region’s leading theatres. "Being able to practice and perform in a similarly professional facility on a daily basis will help everyone to unlock their true potential as actors, dancers, entertainers and musicians.”

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